Skip to page content

Sleep

Sleep
commentary
I'm a Sleep Specialist. Here's How I Prepare My Two Teenagers for the First Day of School
Wendy M. Troxel @wendytroxel
Aug 15, 2019
Thrive Global
Sleep deprivation has measurable negative effects on teens' behavior and health. Early school start times make it difficult for teens to get sufficient sleep. A RAND sleep expert shares how she helps her teens transition from summer back to waking up early for school.
Read More »

Child Health
commentary
Sleep Deprivation Could Do Long-Term Damage to Migrant Children
Wendy M. Troxel @wendytroxel, Douglas C. Ligor @DougLigor
Jul 22, 2019
Dallas Morning News
The challenges faced by detained children at the U.S. southern border are immense. Sleep disruption may significantly hinder their ability to function physically and mentally. As policymakers grapple with solutions, the importance of providing appropriate sleeping conditions should not be overlooked.
Read More »
Urologic Disorders
commentary
Waking Up to the Costs of Nocturia
Marco Hafner, Christian Van Stolk
Jun 18, 2019
The RAND Blog
Nocturia is a troublesome lower urinary tract condition that causes people to wake up two or more times a night to empty their bladder. Researchers calculated the overall economic cost associated with nocturia in a working-age population across six countries.
Read More »
Social Media Analysis
blog
Best RAND Videos of 2018
Dec 19, 2018
RAND research yields findings that run the gamut of potential applications and promising policy solutions. Here, we highlight three of 2018's most captivating videos featuring RAND research and its potential to inform policy.
Read More »
Sleep
commentary
Teens Are Driving Drowsy Every Day, and That's Dangerous
Wendy M. Troxel @wendytroxel
Mar 12, 2018
Salt Lake Tribune
About 1 in 10 car crashes are caused by drowsy driving, and young drivers between the ages of 16 and 24 account for more than half of them. Many parents unwittingly allow their teens to drive while tired on a daily basis.
Read More »
Sleep
commentary
Britain's Productivity Problem Begins in the Bedroom
Marco Hafner
Feb 15, 2018
Financial Times
Productivity growth in the UK has seen its weakest decade since the 1820s. Chancellor Hammond increased the size of a national productivity fund to £31bn. While building people's skills and investing in infrastructure can boost productivity, the problem could also be solved if people got more sleep.
Read More »
Adolescent Health
commentary
Good Parenting or Good Policy? Both Are Needed to Curb the Epidemic of Teen Sleep Loss
Wendy M. Troxel @wendytroxel
Jan 27, 2018
USA Today
More rest improves teens' well-being, public safety, and academic performance. Later school start times promote better sleep for teens. School districts, communities, and parents should consider multi-pronged strategies that start with a later school bell.
Read More »
Sleep
commentary
How Young Kids Causing Sleepless Nights Drove Me to Sleep Research
Marco Hafner
Oct 3, 2017
Thrive Global
RAND's Marco Hafner discusses how sleep troubles related to raising two young children spurred him to study how insufficient sleep impacts productivity at work, mortality, academic performance, and even national economies.
Read More »
Sleep
commentary
Why Sleep Matters to the World's Bottom Line
Marco Hafner
Sep 27, 2017
Media Planet
Sleep and sleep loss matters to all aspects of society, from an individual's health to the success of the global economy. Insufficient sleep costs five of the largest economies more than half a trillion dollars per year, but improving sleeping habits and duration can have major impacts.
Read More »
Sleep
commentary
Debunking 5 Myths of Sleeping Together
Wendy M. Troxel @wendytroxel
Sep 27, 2017
Media Planet
About a third of American adults choose not to sleep with their partner, and evidence suggests that their ranks are growing. This decision often results in social stigma, including some dubious assumptions that sleeping apart is a sign of a sexless or otherwise unhappy marriage.
Read More »
Sleep
commentary
The Early Bird Catches the Worm? Probably Not, Says Science on School Start Times
Marco Hafner, Wendy M. Troxel @wendytroxel
Sep 12, 2017
Thrive Global
School start times are becoming a hotly debated topic across the United States. Starting middle and high schools at 8:30 a.m. would improve teen health, and the economic benefits of this shift would likely outweigh the costs.
Read More »
Sleep
commentary
If Teenagers Get More Sleep, California Could Gain Billions
Wendy M. Troxel @wendytroxel, Marco Hafner
Sep 7, 2017
Los Angeles Times
Two key effects of better-rested teens are improved academic performance and reduced motor vehicle crashes. Delaying school start times to 8:30 a.m. could result in economic benefits that would be realized within a matter of years — $10 billion in California alone.
Read More »
Sleep
commentary
Tired but Wired Youth: A Toxic Combination
Wendy M. Troxel @wendytroxel
May 18, 2017
Thrive Global
The recent death of a South Carolina teen, reportedly of a caffeine overdose, is both tragic and avoidable. It should be a wake-up call for all Americans. Getting sufficient sleep should be a top health priority.
Read More »
Sleep
commentary
Why Early School Start Times Are a Threat to Public Health
Wendy M. Troxel @wendytroxel
Apr 20, 2017
Thrive Global
Sleep-deprived teens are more likely to be involved in motor vehicle crashes and to abuse drugs, alcohol, and cigarettes — all of which are public health concerns. But delaying school start times remains challenging for many districts.
Read More »
Sleep
essay
The Costs of Poor Sleep Are Staggering
Mar 1, 2017
Research shows that a little more sleep could help America's families, military, and economy.
Read More »
Sleep
commentary
How Businesses Can Take the Lead in Getting People to Sleep More
Marco Hafner, Wendy M. Troxel @wendytroxel
Dec 20, 2016
Thrive Global
Insufficient sleep is linked to lower productivity, which results in working days being lost each year. With a few simple measures, employers could help improve the health and well-being of staff, improve their bottom lines, and contribute to a growing economy.
Read More »
Sleep
commentary
Americans Don't Sleep Enough, and It's Costing Us $411 Billion
Marco Hafner, Wendy M. Troxel @wendytroxel
Nov 30, 2016
Washington Post PostEverything
Sleep and sleep loss are often considered to be among the most intimate of personal behaviors, but sleep matters to all aspects of society, from an individual's health to the success of the global economy.
Read More »
Sleep
commentary
Students Shouldn't Lose Sleep Over the Liberty Bridge Fire
Wendy M. Troxel @wendytroxel, Tamara Dubowitz @TamaraDubowitz
Sep 21, 2016
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
The fire and resulting closure of the Liberty Bridge is forcing some Pittsburgh high school students to sacrifice sleep to meet a new 7:11 a.m. start time. Sleep loss has consequences for adolescents' minds, bodies, behavior, and for public safety.
Read More »
Sleep
commentary
A New Prescription for Sleepless Americans: Take Advice, Not a Pill
Wendy M. Troxel @wendytroxel, Judith Owens
May 9, 2016
The Huffington Post
New guidelines from the American College of Physicians favor behavioral therapy over meds as the first-line treatment for insomnia. However, the ACP's recommendation will not in itself raise the level of access to optimal care for insomnia patients.
Read More »
Sleep
commentary
When the School Bell Tolls Too Early
Wendy M. Troxel @wendytroxel
Aug 10, 2015
The Park Record
School schedules can bring sleep-defying stresses to kids and teens. But there are strategies for parents to get their families 'sleep-ready' for the school year.
Read More »
Sleep
commentary
Sleepless in the City
Wendy M. Troxel @wendytroxel
Jul 17, 2015
The Huffington Post
An alarming number of American city dwellers face sleepless nights, followed inevitably by days of productivity-sapping fatigue and, ultimately, the possibility of more serious health consequences. There are some things they can do to better their chances of falling and staying asleep.
Read More »
Sleep
q&a
Your Questions About Sleep, Answered
Jul 1, 2015
RAND's Wendy Troxel, an expert on sleep, hosted an 'Ask Me Anything' session on Reddit to answer questions about how to improve sleep health, what to do about a snoring partner, and more.
Read More »
Sleep
commentary
U.S. Soldiers Denied Sleep Suffer Major Health Effects
Wendy M. Troxel @wendytroxel, Regina A. Shih @ReginaShih
May 11, 2015
U.S. News & World Report
More than 60 percent of service members don't get the recommended seven to eight hours of sleep per night. About a third get by on five hours or less. The military, and society at large, needs to recognize the importance of sleep as a crucial link to physical and mental well-being.
Read More »
Sleep
commentary
A Season of Bedtime Challenges
Wendy M. Troxel @wendytroxel
Oct 28, 2014
The Huffington Post
Halloween and Daylight Saving Time can wreak havoc on children's sleep schedules. But because parents know what's coming, they can prepare by monitoring what kids consume, maintaining calm, consistent schedules, and slowly shifting bedtime over a few days to accommodate the new time settings.
Read More »
Cardiovascular Disorders
commentary
5 Steps to Decrease Your Risk of Cardiovascular Disease
Chloe E. Bird @ChloeBirdPhD
Jun 11, 2014
Sister to Sister
Five steps could help reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease, especially if you track your efforts: know your risk, increase physical activity, reduce sedentary time, improve nutrition, and get enough sleep.
Read More »
Sleep
commentary
Quality Sleep at Sea
Wendy M. Troxel @wendytroxel, Regina A. Shih @ReginaShih
May 8, 2014
U.S. News & World Report
The U.S. Navy may be waking up to something sleep experts have known for a long time: that people function best when they follow their natural sleep rhythms.
Read More »
Sleep
commentary
Some Tired Myths About Sleeping with Your Valentine, or Not
Wendy M. Troxel @wendytroxel
Feb 14, 2014
The Huffington Post
Two-thirds of U.S. adults report that they regularly sleep with a partner. Yet, through 60 years or so of sleep research, scientists have tended to view sleep as an individual behavior, largely ignoring the potential impact of bedmates.
Read More »
Sleep
commentary
A Warm Bed on a Cold Morning: When Waking Up Is Hard to Do
Wendy M. Troxel @wendytroxel
Jan 16, 2014
The Huffington Post
As seductive as a warm bed may be on a cold morning, staying in bed too long can lead to disrupted sleep and a sleep-sapping case of the winter blues. These are the times when we need to resist the urge to hibernate and force ourselves to get going.
Read More »
Sleep
commentary
Deadly Aftermath of 'Microsleep'
Wendy M. Troxel @wendytroxel
Dec 12, 2013
Newsday
Though “microsleep,” commonly referred to as “highway hypnosis,” may enter the public discourse most often when it's cited as the possible cause of a disaster like the Metro-North train wreck, it is responsible for fatal accidents on American highways every day.
Read More »
Sleep
commentary
How to Sleep in Heavenly Peace This Holiday Season
Wendy M. Troxel @wendytroxel
Dec 2, 2013
The Huffington Post
The holiday season is a time when people try to do too much. And that often leads to stress and worry, which can be the enemies of a good night's sleep. Here are a few tricks to help manage the episodic bouts of insomnia that are common during the holidays.
Read More »
Sleep
commentary
Sleep and Couples: For Better or Worse, Day and Night?
Wendy M. Troxel @wendytroxel
May 20, 2013
ABC News
Compared with other health behaviors such as smoking or exercise, sleep is unique because for most adults, it is a behavior they
Read More »
Employment and Unemployment
commentary
The Virtues of a '9 to 5' Job
Christian Van Stolk
Aug 23, 2012
The RAND Blog
People who do shift work should be vigilant about their risk factors. At the same time, their employers—and the government—can do more to offer education and targeted screening programs to prevent or forestall disease, writes Christian van Stolk.
Read More »